Dubai-based CEO hopes to raise Dh75,000 for children in Nepal

In 2010, Bush climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for the King Hussein Cancer Centre in Amman.

by

Bernd Debusmann Jr.

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Published: Sun 24 May 2015, 12:40 AM

Last updated: Thu 25 Jun 2015, 10:39 PM

Dubai — An adventurous Dubai-based CEO will trade in his executive suit for climbing boots and carabiners in an effort to raise Dh75,000 for children in earthquake-rattled Nepal by climbing Europe’s highest peak, 5,642-metre Mount Elbrus.

Briton Myles Bush, chief executive of PowerHouse Properties, spends most of his days helping high-end clients buy and sell properties, but whenever possible combines his love of climbing with his desire to help those in need.

In 2010, Bush climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for the King Hussein Cancer Centre in Amman.

“That climb managed to raise over $125,000,” he said. “We managed to help three children with life threatening illnesses. The money raised paid for the treatment.”

The following year, his efforts to raise money for cancer research took him to Nepal, where he says he developed a deep love for the country and its people.

“It’s a wonderful country. The people are gentle and friendly and stand for peace and love,” he said. “To see this (the earthquake) happen to them was heartbreaking.”

The 2011 expedition — which took him to the top of the 6,189 metre Island Peak — included time spent at Everest Base Camp, where at least 19 people lost their lives in an avalanche triggered by the recent earthquake.

“It’s crazy to think that two years ago I was standing where it happened,” he said.

Bush said that all funds will go to Children of the Mountain, a British-registered charity that seeks to provide educational opportunities and facilities in Nepal, with a focus on the Gorka District village of Tandrang.

“Every single Dirham we raise will go to Children of the Mountain,” he said. “We are going to rebuild a school with it.”

Bush noted that he is also trying to enlist help from people he has encountered through his job in Dubai’s lucrative property market.

“I’m in a really fortunate position here,” he said. “I take care of VIPs, celebrities, diplomats, that sort of thing. My network is huge, and some of them have already stepped forward to help. But we need more.”

Bush added that Mount Elbrus — a remote mountain in the Western reaches of the Caucasus — presents a unique challenge to his team, which includes two experienced Norwegian climbers and another Briton, all based abroad.

“It’s a very grisly environment,” he said. “It’s not one of the most technical climbs, but it is in the wastelands of Russia. It’s very tough, gruelling terrain.”

 To prepare for the rigors of the ascent — which is scheduled to begin on June 6 — Bush said he’s already begun a training regimen to prepare himself.

“I’ve been running, and I’ve been swimming,” he said. “But I’ve also been walking up and down the fire escape of my apartment building with a backpack full of bricks. It’s the only way to strengthen the leg muscles I’ll need for the climb.”

Looking towards the future, Bush said he plans to climb Argentina’s 6,980-metre Aconcagua, and eventually Mount Everest, all for good causes.

“Every climb I do is for a charity,” he said. “I expect to climb Everest in 2017. It’s hard to say who will need the money at the point, but it is safe to say someone will.”

bernd@khaleejtimes.com

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